So Close
by TessaStarDean
Summary: From that episode where Flack and Stella got to dress up and look really pretty. I've never seen the whole thing, but I needed them to dance, and this is what came out. FlackStella.


"Are you even paying attention to me

"Are you even paying attention to me?"

Flack shook himself, tearing his gaze away from Stella Bonasera. Looking to his left, he saw Devon standing beside him, her hands on her hips.

"Seriously, Don," she said, annoyance obvious in her voice. "Have you heard one thing I've said?"

He gave her what he hoped was a charming smile. "Sorry, I just got distracted -"

"By that woman you work with? Because you've been staring at her all night."

Flack frowned. "I have not."

"You have," she argued. "What is it? Would you rather be with her tonight than me?"

He opened his mouth to calm her, to tell her that of course he only wanted to be with her. But before the words could make their way out, Flack realized that they weren't true, and that he really didn't feel like lying. Devon saw the change in his expression, and crossed her arms, doing her best to not look hurt.

"So that's it, huh? Well fine, Flack. You wanna go be with her? Go be with her. 'Cause we're done."

Without another word, she spun around and stalked off. Flack watched her go, his mind reeling from what had just happened. His relationship with Devon had been nice - hell, more than nice if he was honest with himself - but at the same time, he wasn't sad to see her go. He had known from the beginning that it wasn't going to last, that, in essence, it was just a way to pass the time.

And now that he was free, there was only one place that he wanted to be. He scanned the room quickly, smiling when his eyes found her. Swallowing the nervous lump in his throat, he walked over to her, stopping when he was just behind her.

"Hey."

Stella jumped slightly, turning to face him. "Hey," she said. "Aren't you supposed to be fixing things with your girlfriend?"

Flack shrugged. "She's not my girlfriend."

She rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry...is "bed buddy" the more appropriate term?"

He put a hand over his heart, a mock pained expression on his face. "That hurt, Stell."

"Yeah, right." She sighed. "Seriously, Flack. What's going on?"

He shrugged again. "She ended things."

Her eyes softened. "I'm sorry."

"Don't worry 'bout it, Stell. You done takin' pictures?"

"Yeah. I just sent Danny back with the camera. You ready to go?"

Flack shook his head. "We're gonna go dance."

Stella stared at him in confusion. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

She crossed her arms, fixing him with a scrutinizing stare. "You want to dance with me?"

"Yep." He flashed her one of his most charming smiles. "That okay with you?"

He didn't wait for an answer. Taking her hand, he led her out onto the dance floor before turning and pulling her close to his body. Stella was taken aback by this sudden change, though she couldn't say that she was unhappy. Her feelings for Don had taken a...turn in the past few months, and now that she found herself wrapped in his arms, she was having trouble breathing or thinking in coherent sentences.

"Uh, Flack?"

"Yeah, Stell?"

She tried not to melt at his voice, low and quiet in her ear. "Your...your ex-girlfriend is glaring at you."

"Actually, she's glaring at you."

Stella pulled back, searching his eyes even as they continued to move to the music. "What? Why?"

He couldn't quite meet her eyes as she shrugged shyly. "She knows I'd rather be here with you than anywhere with her."

She stared at him, his words and their meaning sending shockwaves through her system. "Since when?" she whispered.

Don slid his hands up from her waist, letting them trail up her sides and over her arms until they held her face. His fingers whispered against her skin, causing Stella to gasp and close her eyes as goosebumps erupted all across her skin. He moved his mouth to her ear, his breath making the tendrils of hair dance across her shoulder.

"Since I held you in that hospital room."

For the first time, the mention of that day didn't bring back memories of her ordeal with Frankie, or the struggle it had taken for her to resume a normal life. Instead, the only thing Stella could remember was the way Flack had looked at her, the way his arms felt as he embraced her, the way his lips brushed across her cheek.

She gasped as she realized that it was no longer just a memory - Don trailed his lips across her cheek, hovering just over her lips as his eyes sought out hers. Stella couldn't help but smile; for all the confidence he showed in every other aspect of his life, Flack was waiting for her okay. She could see in his gaze a shyness that she'd never seen before and it touched her deeply. Reaching up, she pressed her lips against his, her entire body melting at the contact. But before he could take it any deeper, she pulled back, mimicking his early movement and trailing her mouth across the side of his face until she reached his ear.

"Later," she whispered.

Don nodded, understanding. As much as he wanted her right then and there, they were still technically on the job, and they had to leave soon to get back to the lab. He brought his hands back down her back, settling them on her waist as he pulled her body up against his and buried his head in the crook of her neck. Stella smiled and held him close as they finished out their dance.


End file.
